One of the most common reasons people would rather skip getting a residential solar project is their fear of hurricanes and other weather disturbances. They think that one storm can already damage their massive investment in their solar panel system.
This is not true.
While solar panels aren’t 100% weatherproof, they are durable enough to withstand hurricanes and other weather disturbances. In fact, in some cases, your solar panels can still generate power despite lousy weather.
Can solar panel units withstand hurricanes?
Like any household item, it all boils down to the material and installation of your solar panels.
Substandard solar panels might not fare well during hurricanes and other weather disturbances. The same goes with solar panle unit which are poorly installed. You have to ensure that you only get the top brands in solar panel production to avoid this. And as much as possible, hire solar panel installation contractors.
Aside from this, various significant hurricanes like Hurricane Sandy and Maria proved the strength of solar power projects. These typhoons left New Jersey and San Juan in complete wreck. However, numerous solar power units remained functional–so much so that they became their primary source of electricity for a significant amount of time.
How can you ensure the safety of your solar panel units during a hurricane?
When a hurricane is coming, it’s best to prepare for the worst.
It’s highly suggested that you call your maintenance services provider to inspect the status of your solar panels. This way, they can determine if there are wirings or other electrical connections that need to be fixed before the hurricane. They can also decide whether it’s best to uninstall the solar panels on your roof in the meantime.
If you can’t contact your maintenance service providers, the best you can do is to go off-grid. Disconnect your primary electricity connection to your solar panel unit and connect it directly to a solar battery. If there is an outage or short circuit on your main electricity line, your solar panel project won’t be affected.